How to Trim Mum Plants for More Roundness

Chrysanthemums must be trimmed to control their size and shape.

Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum spp.) are a focal point in the garden in fall after most other flowers have finished blooming. They will look their best when the time arrives if you begin pinching them back in early spring. A series of pinches helps them develop a neat, rounded shape. Cushion mums are low-growing varieties with a natural bushy growth habit and rounded shape. These low-maintenance mums don't need any pinching or pruning. Some tall varieties don't adapt well to a rounded shape.

1

Pinch newly planted chrysanthemums when they have six to eight fully formed leaves. pinch out the top inch of the plant by grasping it below the top pair of leaves between your finger and thumbnail and squeezing. Use scissors or shears to remove the tip if you find that you can't make a clean break with your fingers.

2

Pinch out the growth tips of established chrysanthemums when new shoots are about 3 inches long.

3

Continue pinching about every two weeks until the end of July. Pinch out the tips of lateral stems as they develop.

4

Cut back tall varieties by half or more after they flower to improve their shape.

Things You Will Need

Scissors or pruning shears (optional)

Tip

Some tall varieties of mums will have a more compact and bushy growth habit if you pinch them regularly and shear them after they flower, but they won't develop the rounded shape of a cushion mum.

The centers of mum plants can die out if they aren't divided every three years or so.

About the Author

Jackie Carroll has been a freelance writer since 1995. Her home-and-garden and nature articles have appeared in "Birds & Blooms" and "Alamance Today." She holds a Bachelor of Science in medical technology from the University of North Carolina.